Steven Chu on Getting to Net Zero: 'We Need a Lot of Innovation; We Need More Technology'

Steven Chu on Getting to Net Zero: ‘We Need a Lot of Innovation; We Need More Technology’

On this week’s episode of Political Climate, we ask former Energy Secretary Steven Chu: Do we have the tools we need to reach net-zero emissions by 2050?

Julia Pyper January 30, 2020

Julia Pyper

Senior Editor
Greentech Media

Julia Pyper is a Senior Editor at Greentech Media covering the energy transition. She is also the host and producer of the Political Climate podcast. She previously reported for E&E Publishing, and has covered clean energy and climate change issues across the U.S. and abroad, including in India, Haiti, Israel and the Maldives. She holds degrees from McGill and Columbia Universities. Find her on Twitter @JMPyper.

Science tells us we must reach net-zero emissions by 2050 to stave off the most devastating impacts of climate change. But do we have all of the technologies we need to do it?

In the second episode of Political Climate's “Path to Zero” series, we put that question to physicist, professor, Nobel Laureate and former U.S. Secretary of Energy Steven Chu.

Under his leadership, the DOE launched several new initiatives to help put the United States at the forefront of cleantech development, including the creation of Energy Innovation Hubs and the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy, or ARPA-E. Chu also oversaw $90 billion in Recovery Act funding for strategic clean energy investments.

Together these measures helped jump-start America’s modern green economy. But what now? Do we have what we need to reach net zero? Find out in this episode of the “Path to Zero” series, presented with support from Third Way.